Safety appliance for block-signal systems.



S. A. MISCHANSKY.

SAFETY APPLIANGE FOR BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEMS.

APPLIUATION FILED Dnc. 15. 191s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

S. A. vMISCHANSKY.

SAFETY APPLIANCB FOB BLOOKSIGNALBYSTBMS. i

APPLIUATION Hmm Dna-15. 1913.

1,1 1 6,31 6. v Patented Nov. 3, 1914` 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I? Y y m4-#MMM A TTU/CNE Y.

IED PAHTENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN A. MISCHANSKY, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK?i ASSIGNOR OIF` ONE-THIRD T0 ALEX lRYSTAI, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR BLOCK-SIGNAL SYSTEMS.

missie.

T0 all 'whom it may; conce/'n Be it known that I, S'rrzrnnx A. MisciLxNsKY, a subject ot' the Emperorof Austria-Hungary, oi' Syracuse, in the county of (')nondagiu in the State of ew York, have ,invented new and useful Improvements in Safety Appliances for Block-Signal Systems. of which the following. taken in con` nection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in salety appliances for railway block signal systems and is adapted to be used more particularly in connection with double track railways in which the trains on one track move generally in one direction while those on the opposite track move generally in the opposite direction.

The primary object is to prevent collision between two trains moving in the same direction, or in case one train moving along its track should be inadvertentlyshifted to the other track to warn the engineer of such fact and thereby prevent headon collision.

One of the specific objects is to provide means actuated by a train passing through any one otl the blocks for causing a signal to be operated in the cab of another train in case it should enter that block within a predetermined time 'after the previously mentioned train has passed through suoli block.

A further object is to prevent headon collisions in case a train should ixiadvertently get on the wrong` track by causing certain devices on said train' to come into operative contact with the other devices along the track for causing a signal to be operated in the drivers cab ot' said train.

Other objects and uses will be brought out in the following description.

ln the drawings. Figure l is a perspective view oi a poi tion ol a railway track, showing one o't' the signal-operating devices with which cach block ol the railway is equil'iped. nal-tripping abutments of levers located in one ot the blocks and, the positions ol' portions of theI signal-operating members in full lines ot' a train approaching;l from the rear in full and Afrom the front by dotted lines. Fig. 3 a side elefation of a portion of a locomotive. signal-operating device located in the cali thereof. and a portion of the mechanism lor operating the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led December 15, 1913.

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

serial No. 806.852.

signals. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view ot' the motor-actuated resetting mechanism for the signal-tripping abutments. Fig. 5 is an enlarged face view of the abutmentoperating roller and signal-operating meinbers on the underside of the locomotive near the fender. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view ot' the electric switch controlling the operation of the motor. Fig. 7 is a. side elevation, partly in section, of the electric switch-controlling operation of the bell signal in the locomotive cab and one o'l the members for controlling the operation of the drop annunciator which may be used in connection with the audible signal. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the connections between the signal tripping abutments and its rock-shaft shown in Fig. l. Fig. E) is an enlarged face view ol the drop annunciator showing one of the shutters as opened to reveal the reading Front danger on the inelosed back-plate. Fig. l0 is a detail view of a portion of one of the gears ot the motor-operated train shown in Figs. 1 and 4, illustrating the movable contact member thereon `for tripping the holding pawl or detent for the switch operating means on the motor.

In order that luy-invention may be clearly understood, I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a portion of one. ol the blocks of a railway -a as equipped with a pair of levers or rock-arms -land 2 secured at one end to a rock-shaft -3- having one end iournaled in a suitable support which is provided with lengthwise recesses for receiving the rock-arms -1- and -2-. These rock-arms extend in opposite directions from their points of connection with the rock shaft -Zw and are, together wit-h their support -l, preferably arranged between and lengthwise of the rails ol the track -f/-- the recesses in the support heilig ot sufiicient depth to allow the upper faces ol the rock-arms ---2- to lie substantially coincident with the. upper tare oi the support when depressed to their extreme limits ot downward movement, the upper faces or edges ol' the rock arms being disposed in planes at an obtuse angle so that when one ot' them. as the rock arm "1m, is in its normal depressed position substantially flush with the upper tace ot' the support --'l--, the other will be disposed in an inclined position to such face. thereby causing its 'free end to project some distance above the support-fl- These rock arms `--lfand -2- are arranged side by side in different linesl parallel with the track along which the trains are presumed to move in the direction indicated by arrow --X, Fig. l. so that the normally depressed crank arm -lextends in the opposite direction while the roclt arm --'2- extends in the saine direction as the moving' train so that when a train is passing through this block over the rocking' members -l4 and -2-, one of the operating.; members, presently described. on the engine will ride along and upon the'upper face of the arm -Q-, thereby depressing that arm and at the same time, raising the other arm -lto an inclined position and also rocking thc shaft -3* to effect the closing of a motorcontrolling switch also located in the same block.l

The rock shaft N3- extends from the rock-arms PMland -2- laterally under and beyond one of the rails some distance to the outside of the track where it is journaled in a. suitable bearing --l0 on a stationary upright support --1l-- and is provided with a crank-arm -l2-. This crankarrn -12- is connected by a link H.13- to the intermediate portion of a rock arm -lhaving one end journaled in suitable bearings in a zgear-case or housing -1 on the post .-lland its other end pivotally connected to a vertically movable plunger ---l6-l carrying one or more of the terminals of an electric switch --l7 having its cooper: ive terminals mounted upon a stationary support and guide l8-on the interior of the case or housingr ---15--.

The switclioperating,v plunger -l6-- guided in a. bracket --18- and au additional guide ---l9 and when released is sprinaeprcssed upwardly by a rcoil spring -20-- to open the switch. but is adapted lo be drawn downwardlv against the action of said spring' by the depression of the ro karm --Q-- through [he medium ol: the roi-kshaft -3-, crank arm ---12i7-. link H-l--- and rock arm -lliz-vto close the electric switch. --l7- whith is conmwted in a motor circuit to control the action of an electric motor 21 also mounted within the housh -15- upon a supportingr bracket --22-. i

The armature shaft of the motor is connected by a belt 23H to a pulley v2-l on one end of a worm shaft -25- carrying a. worm --26, which meshes with a worm gear w27 the latter forming a part of a gear train -Q8- within the housing -15 for the purpose ot' trippingr a holding paWl or detent "-29eby which the plunger ---l6 is temporarily held for a predetermined interval of time in its normal down position as effected by the depression of the rock arm -2- through the mediumV of a roller 30- on the underside of an engine truck -b-- preferably just at the` rear of the fender as -Z1-.

The pawl or Idetent ---29 is fulcrumedt-ion of said gear for the purpose of releasing the plunger -16- and allowing it to be 1forced upwardly. by the spring -20- to open the sWitchv-l-f. thereby breaking the motor circuit and stopping the motor.

The gears of the train --29-- are so proportioned as to car-use the gear carrying the contact member -34- to rotate very slowly to allow the lapse of a considerable interval of time for each revolution, in this instance approximately one-fourth hourv or sufficient to permit the moving train to ass out of the block and into the` next succee ing block. i

As shown more clearly in Fig. l0, the roller 34.- is mounted upon a rock arm -35- which is pivoted at -36- to the adjacent gear and is yielding-ly held against the stop -37- by a spring M38-, the ob- 'ject of which is to allow the Contact roller to be shifted upwardly against the action of the spring 38- by the cam -33- so as to release the awl -29 in case the motor should stop with the roller -34-- on the point of the cam although in practice it is found that the momentum of' the gear 28M will be suflicient to carry the roller tor switch is open.

The operation of my inventionl as thus; far described is as follows: Assuming that the parts shown in Fig. l are in their normal positions with the rock arm s1-'depressed and the rock-arm 2Q elevated, then if a train movesil in a predetermined direction indicated by arrow --X through the block, the contact member or roller -80- t beyond the cam point after lthe moou the engine, shown more clearly in Fig. 3,

will come in Contact with and depress the rei-l( arm 2 and thereby rock the shaft im and raise the rock arm -lby which operation the plunger 16-- will be drawn downwardly by means of the crank -12- aud link l3 and lever --14- until engaged by the holding' pawl or detent M29-, thereby closing;- the switch -17c and starting the motori-Qlto drive the train of gears -Q8 in the direction indicated by arrow Fini. 1. This causes the contact member -84-- to be moved slowlyr but bodily one complete revolution or until the Contact roller 3dreturns into engagen electric motor operated by the closing of the switch, and means actuated by said motor for releasing` the switch and allowing it to open to stop the electric motor, and additional miens actuated by the means which opens the switch for restoring` the Contact members on the track to their normal positions after a }')redetermined interval of time.

In a safety appliance for railway block systems in combination with a track and train moving along the track, a signal on the train, a -sigoal-operating member on the track normally ont of operative position, cooperative contact members on the train and track respectively for moving the Sig? nal-operating` member into its operative position, and means set in motion by the movement of the signal operating member from its normal position for holding it in Such position for a predetermined time and then releasingr4 it.

3. ln a safet'y appliance for railway blockv systems in combination with a track and a train moving along the track, a signal on the train, cooperative signaloperating members on the train and track respectively,

i l l l l it l l I the member on the track being normally out of the path of that of the train., additional contact members` on the train and track respeetively, the one on the track mally in the path of that on the train for operation thereby as the train moves along the track, connections between the Contact members on the track whereby the operation of the second named member moves the rst named member into the path of its coper` ative Contact member on the train, an electric motor circuit having al normally open switch connected therein, a motora a switchoperating member, means actuated by the Contact members on the track for moving` the sivitch-fmerating member to close the switch, a pawl movable into engagement with the switch-operating member' to hold it in its closed position, and motor-operated means for tripping the pawl.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this Sth day of December, 1913.

STEPHEN A. MISCHANSKY. lVitnesses ALEX PRYSTAY, LEO KUSHMIR. 

